Over the past several days Lake Sevan has turned an alarming shade of green. The algae bloom is a symptom of the dire, complex ecological situation around the country’s biggest body of water.
The host expressed what many Georgians – and Russians – feel, but many worried that it could unnecessarily escalate the ongoing crisis between the two countries.
Tbilisi’s Russian expat community disputes Moscow’s narrative of a surge of Russophobia in the country, but some say that the ongoing tensions have put them in a complicated place.
The homecoming has occasioned some controversy, as Azerbaijani authorities say the remains of the legendary Caucasus hero Hadji Murad were taken out of the country without their permission.
Migrants from other Soviet republics help Russia meet its workforce needs as the ethnic-Russian population declines. But paperwork is keeping many away.